


Paul Meets Merle!

by gayliensav



Series: Modern Desus AU [2]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, Artist!Jesus, Daryl thinks it's funny, Happy AU, M/M, Merle underestimates him, Paul is a badass, Slight homophobic language, worst meet the family ever
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-31
Updated: 2016-12-31
Packaged: 2018-09-13 15:51:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9131227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gayliensav/pseuds/gayliensav
Summary: Paul’s store gets robbed and Daryl rushes from work to make sure he’s okay. By the end of the day, the robber is apprehended...by Paul and Daryl. But mostly Paul.“Merle, you dumb piece ‘a shit!”





	

It all started with a call. Daryl didn’t normally get calls at work...so it kind of freaked him out.

_“Gonna need ya to come down ta Paul’s shop,”_ Rick had told him over the phone, _“Ain’t nothin’ serious, he’s okay, I just need ya ta come down here.”_

Needless to say Daryl dropped everything and took off within one minute of getting the call.

When he got there, the place was a mess. The glass door was shattered and glass was all over the ground. He ran in, not really caring what he stepped on. The place was mostly intact, aside from the back room. It was torn apart. Some tables were flipped over, but it didn’t look like too many supplies were broken.

“Where’s he at?” Daryl demanded.

Tara crossed her arms, standing beside Rick, “Well, he still had a class scheduled today so he was determined to teach it,” she said, leading him back outside.

Daryl smiled softly, leaning on the side of the building as he watched Paul. There was a patch of grass that was pretty big that came along with the building when Paul and Maggie had taken ownership of it and they converted it into a little garden. Paul’s little students were sitting, scattered around the small garden and doing their painting. He waited silently, nodding to Tara as she walked back inside and watching Paul wrap up the class. Daryl nodded politely to some of the parents as they came to pick the kids up. It looked like a few concerned parents stayed back to talk to Paul, but he quickly waved them off when he saw Daryl.

“I told them not to call you,” Paul sighed, walking over.

“Place gets broken into, they’re gonna call me,” Daryl said, pulling him into a hug, “You okay?”

Paul nodded and sighed, “I...I don’t normally get scared, Daryl, you know that,” he told him, “But I...he had a gun on me. No amount of karate classes prepared me for that. I mean, I could have probably disarmed them, but there was this voice in my head that sounded suspiciously like you telling me not to take the risk."

“Christ,” Daryl cursed under his breath. He owned a gun, on top of a crossbow. Their neighborhood was  _ relatively _ safe, but Merle had stupid friends running around and there were always bad people. Paul  _ knew _ he owned a gun, but never seemed to want to mess with it. Daryl knew that Paul could very much take care of himself, physically, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be scared of a weapon, since he'd never been in a fight with one before.

“I’m fine,” Paul said, sighing, “They took all the money from the register...and the safe,” he pinched the bridge of his nose, “I’m going to have to redo our budget for the month, we’re going to be short-”

“Hey,” Daryl said, making him took at him, “Don’t care about the money. You’re safe, that’s what matters.”

Paul nodded and hugged him again, “I’m sorry they pulled you from work.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Daryl said, kissing his head before pulling away, “C’mon, let’s go talk ta 'em.”

Paul nodded, walking inside to where Tara and Rick were looking around, “I told you not to call!”

“Well, you seemed upset!” Tara crossed her arms, “I’m not going to let you sit around being upset without calling him because you don’t want to bother him.”

“Tara, you didn’t want them to call Rosita when you were  _ shot at _ , shut up!” Paul told his friend.

Tara and Paul had been friends since high school. Paul had decided to open a gay-straight alliance at their school and the principal said no, which resulted in a one person protest outside the school...and then Tara joined in. Eventually, the teachers got tired of two smart students cutting class and the principal just let it happened. Paul was president and Tara was vice president and that was...it.  They really just spent their entire free period in “meetings.” Meetings, meaning just sitting around and bullshiting. Bullshiting, until a girl named Rosita Espinosa walked in, asking if they were still holding meetings.

Tara fell off her chair when it happened.

“That’s different!” Tara protested.

“Oh, give me  _ one way _ it’s different-” Paul started.

“Okay, enough,” Rick said quickly, “Professional behavior time,” he said, taking out his notebook, “Now, tell me what happened.”

* * *

“Y’know, when I said we could do whatever ya wanted, I didn’t mean this,” Daryl said as he walked back to the apartment building, giving his grown ass boyfriend a piggy back ride. It was childish, really, Paul had jokingly said “carry me” after they ate too much pizza at the restaurant and Daryl told him to hop on since the apartment building was just down the road from the restaurant anyways.

It was just good that the whole thing hadn’t affected Paul too much. He didn’t seem too freaked out, just a little off, which was to be expected. He was held at gunpoint and the most exposure he’d ever had to guns was when he saw Daryl’s and Daryl taught him how to use it in the event of some emergency.

Paul leaned up and kissed his cheek, “You’re the best.”

“Uh-huh,” Daryl snorted, unlocking the door and walking in. He noticed Paul shift back to make sure the door was closed and he was pretty glad his boyfriend was light in that moment.

Daryl walked up to their first floor apartment and unlocked the door, “Get your heavy ass offa me, gonna give me back problems!” he said, making sure Paul knew his tone was joking.

“That’s just rude,” Paul laughed, refusing to let go.

“‘Kay then,” Daryl said, walking over to the couch and tossing his boyfriend back gently. He crawled on top of him and kissed him softly. He went to deepen the kiss and froze when heard a familiar voice.

“Well, well,” Merle said, “Gotch yourself a girlfriend, Darleena?”

Daryl pulled back and saw his brother at the fridge, beer in hand. He glared at him, daring him to say something when he saw Paul, “The fuck you doin’ here, Merle?”

Paul hands over his face, obviously embarrassed.

Daryl looked down at him and quickly got off of him, standing up to face his brother.

“Needed a place ta hide out,” Merle told him, “Cops are gonna be lookin’, baby brother, but ol’ Merle scored some cash from that art store.”

“Merle, you dumb piece ‘a shit!” Daryl yelled.

“Excuse me?!” Paul demanded, standing up beside Daryl.

“You’re datin’ this little guy?” Merle snorted, “Damn, little brother, always figured you were a little queer, but didn’t know how much-” he started.

“Shut your damn mouth, Merle,” Daryl snapped at him.

“Well, now,” Merle said, “Since he’s gonna be a part of the family, he can keep his trap shut about this.”

“You took my money and  _ pulled a gun on me _ !” Paul yelled, walking over and standing close to him, “Give it back!”

He wasn’t  _ much _ taller than him. Merle and Daryl were the same height...which was pretty much the only thing similar about them.

“Paul, c’mon,” Daryl sighed.

“No, he’s giving it back and I’m calling the cops,” Paul told him and turned back to Merle.

“Oh, ain’t you just cute,” Merle laughed, “He’s a little firecracker.”

“Fine,” Paul snapped and took out his cell phone, “I’m calling Rick.”

Daryl rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, “Paul, he’ll give the money back, ya don’t gotta do that.”

“Seriously?” Paul demanded, “Daryl!”

“Merle, give it back to ‘im,” Daryl snapped, his tone instantly changing from gentle to angry when he turned to his older brother.

“Already spent it,” Merle shrugged, “Scored good, baby brother. Me and you can party once this one gets his panties untwisted.”

“He doesn’t do drugs anymore,” Paul told him firmly, “And I’m  _ calling the cops _ because this man pulled a gun on me and my boyfriend’s best friend needs to hear about how he’d throw me under the bus for his brother!”

“Paul, it ain’t like that, c’mon-” Daryl started.

“Got you whipped, baby brother!” Merle laughed.

“Shuddup, Merle!” Daryl yelled and walked over to Paul, putting his hands on his shoulders, “Didn’t mean it like that, ya know that,” he said, rubbing them, “S’my brother, Paul...y’know…”

Paul swallowed and looked conflicted. He shook his head, “No, this is a crime and I’m reporting it. I’m sorry, Daryl.”

Daryl sighed and nodded, “‘Kay,” he told him, “Yeah, yeah...you’re right.”

“You’re just gonna let ‘im...fuck, you really are whipped,” Merle said and went in the direction of the door.

“Hey!” Paul yelled, running over, _jumping over_ the back of the couch in the process to stand in front of the door, “Not happening, buddy!”

“You don’t wanna mess with me, lil’ boy,” Merle laughed at him.

Paul glared at him, “Trust me, it’s the other way around.”

Merle laughed, “Goddamn, Daryl, you got a cocky one,” he said, going to shove him out of the way.

“Merle, that ain’t a good-” Daryl sighed when Merle touched Paul’s shoulder.

It was his own damn fault, the idiot.

Paul grabbed his wrist and pinned it behind his back, shoving him face first into the wall. He grabbed the gun from the back of his pants and threw it on the couch before taking out his phone again, “Don’t move,” he said simply, tapping Rick’s contact on the phone.

“The fuck?!” Merle yelled, trying to get out of the smaller man’s hold as he talked to Rick quickly on the phone.

“Tried ta warn ya,” Daryl said, flopping down on the couch and putting his hands behind his head. It was actually pretty entertaining, now that the gun was away. Not too many people ever tried to take on Paul, mostly because they were always worried they’d hurt him, not knowing Paul would most likely knock them on their ass.

Merle finally managed to pull away after Paul was off the phone and he shoved the smaller man away.

“The fuck you laughin’ at?!” Merle yelled at Daryl, rage written all over his face. He tried to take a swing at Paul but Paul ducked and then stood back up and punched him right in the face, causing the buzzed man to fall to the ground and hit his head on the floor.

Paul winced when he saw Daryl's brother was unconscious, “Sorry.”

“Nah,” Daryl waved his hand, “Prick deserved it.”

Rick showed up a few minutes later, one of his officers in tow, “Goddamnit, Paul, really?” he sighed.

“Self defense,” Paul said instantly.

“Witnessed it, Merle shoved ‘im first,” Daryl said simply, finally getting off the couch and walking over to stand with Paul.

Rick raised an eyebrow. Daryl had covered for Merle on several occasions and lied right to Rick’s face about it, despite being friends with him.

“Ain’t gonna do that shit to my boyfriend, man,” Daryl told him, his arm around Paul, “Don’t care who he is.”

Rick nodded and sighed, “He break in?”

“Nah, he got a key,” Daryl told him, “I want it back whenever you’re processin’ ‘im,” he said, tightening his arm on Paul slightly.

“Ya know, ya just make our job harder,” Rick said, helping his officer pick Merle up, “You’ll be gettin’ called down to the station for statements tomorrow,” he called as he practically drug Merle out.

Paul walked over and closed the door. He crossed his arms and turned to him, raising an eyebrow.

Dary pursed his lips and even looked a little guilty, “Sorry.”

“You might cover for your brother, Daryl Dixon,” Paul said, walking up to him, “But don’t ever expect me to do that,” he said and leaned up whispering in his ear, “Because sex will no longer be something happening in this relationship if you put me in that position again and the only position you’ll be in is sleeping on the couch.”

Daryl nodded, “‘Kay, I deserve that one,” he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, “Sorry.”

Paul just nodded and walked over to the counter and grabbed the beer Merle had and threw it away before going to get his own.

Daryl raised an eyebrow. Paul didn’t drink very much, aside from when they were at parties.

“That was the worst meet the family ever,” Paul said after a long drink.

Daryl sighed and walked over, “Sorry,” he repeated and wrapped his arms around him, “Love ya.”

Paul rolled his eyes, “You don’t have to act like a kicked puppy, Daryl, I forgive you,” he told him, “And love you too...and you’ll be coming in at seven in the morning and helping me clean up the shop.”

“Aw, Paul, c’mon!"


End file.
